


Survival

by likelyvalentine (nokkakona)



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, PTSD, Pre-Relationship, Preston Garvey Is A Gift You Can't Change My Mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-14 14:45:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16494638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nokkakona/pseuds/likelyvalentine
Summary: It takes everything they've got to take back the Castle, and still, it's not enough. Knowing he's got Preston at his side is the only thing that gets the General through the night.Pre-relationship Preston/SoSu.





	Survival

It wasn't enough. Every bomb, every grenade, every bullet in his gun- none of it had been enough.

Erikson was first- he had tried to run for cover, to get a vantage on the monster that rose from the sea, but he tripped. Leo watched as he was doused in chemical ooze. He screamed, and the hand he raised to reach out for help bubbled and melted away.

Next was Porter. She made it nine steps past Erickson when a massive, dripping claw descended from above, knocking her to the ground- and when Leo looked back, he saw half of her dangling in the Queen's grip, the other half twitching in the red grass.

Their deaths were quick. The Queen took hours to die. Hours of waiting, of sneaking shots through crumbling bricks; hours of holding his breath, of digging his fingernails into the dirt until they were broken, bleeding, and hoping that the pain would be enough to keep himself from crying out.

In the end, it was Colter who took the final shot- one last bullet through the briny hide of the hulking beast as it shambled toward them, carapace torn and ragged, dragging yellowed guts through the weeds. Leo collapsed when he heard it fall, hands and legs shaking too badly to support his weight any longer.

Preston was there to catch him.

None of them slept that night. They barricaded themselves in the old General's quarters, stacking empty barrels and crates against wide oak doors, watching the moonlight that peered in through the cracks for shadows. Colter was deathly silent, knuckles white from his grip on his musket. Not once did his eyes leave the doorway. But Leo couldn't stay quiet. His breath came in short, ragged gasps, catching in his throat, and his heart pounded in his ears, as shaky and uneven as his voice.

"Erickson... he- I couldn't-"

"None of us could, Leo. None of us could."

Preston was like a bright ray of sunshine that cut through the haze that surrounded them. He sat beside Leo the whole night, shoulder to shoulder, the contact grounding the worst of the electricity buzzing through Leo's veins.

"We're safe here. Nothing's coming through that door," he said, and Leo almost believed him.

Only when morning came and the sun had burned away the shadows where enemies could hide, did Leo feel the cold-fingered grasp of fear begin unclenching itself from around his neck.

The waters were quiet- the Castle was theirs once more.

The General and his soldiers crept out from the crumbling ruins of their prize, Leo numbly reciting orders to those that remained. Build the generator, turn on the radio, hook up the water supply, find a cart and start piling the bodies up to burn.

It was hours before Preston pulled Leo aside, hands firm and warm on his arms, with a reminder on his lips.

"General-"

"Just- just call me Leo."

"All right, Leo... I've still got something on my mind. If you have a minute."

"It's not like I'm going anywhere." His words were sharp. Preston hesitated, wringing his hands, and Leo immediately softened. "You know I always have time for you. So talk to me."

Leo listened as Preston spoke, only half-processing his words. His eyes begged to close, but his ears just wanted to listen to the sound of Preston's voice, gentle and soft like his hands, the same ones that had held him through the night.

He watched Preston's lips, wondering if they would feel the same- gentle and soft.

It took him several long seconds to realise it when Preston stopped talking. Preston watched him hesitantly with guarded eyes, hurt waiting behind them, but every time Leo tried to talk, words- for the first time in a long time- failed him.

Instead, he fell against Preston, sending Preston's hat askew. "Oh- I- okay." Preston cleared his throat. After a minute, he tentatively raised a hand and placed it on Leo's back.

Leo shut his eyes. The sun seemed bright, even through the clouds. "Thank you," he said, his voice hoarse. "For everything."

"I... you're welcome."

A cool breeze blew in off of the ocean, circulating the smell of salt and brine through the Castle. Leo heard the voices of the few Minutemen that remained in the distance shouting orders to one another as they cleared a path through the muck, and he knew that, even though he desperately wanted to, he couldn't stay here in Preston's arms forever.

"Good talk." He pulled away, patting Preston on the chest as he did. "I'm going to find the least-damp bed in this place and get some sleep."

Preston cleared his throat. "Uh- yeah. I've got it from here. You look like you could use the rest."

Leo's eyes roved over Preston, taking in the thin red wound above his eyebrow that hadn't healed quite yet, the dryness of his lips, the dark circles under his eyes. "Colter's seems capable. Why don't you join me and let him handle it?"

"I- uh. I'm not sure what you mean, General." Preston's words were careful.

"I saw a barracks in one of these rooms. Plenty of beds."

"Oh- maybe later." Preston's eyes slid over to the corpse of the Queen, still looming against the setting sun behind it, silhouetted against the crumbling Castle walls. "Truth be told, I don't think I can sleep right now."

Disappointment bubbled in Leo's stomach, but he swallowed it. "Of course." He began to head back toward the Castle, but waved a hand toward Preston as he went. "If anything goes wrong... _don't_ wake me."

"Nothing's going to go wrong. I'll make sure of it."

Call him crazy, but Leo believed him. 

**Author's Note:**

> so i started survival mode and died 24 actual times trying to take back the castle. six of those times i cried. the only npc who survived was the one who mans the radio, and to this day, he's a voiceless, motionless husk who stands in the same spot where the queen died, day and night, never sleeping, never eating, never actually manning the radio. it's been 4 months since this incident and i still have war flashbacks


End file.
